Interlocking device



Oct. 14, 1958 V w G. JENSEN 5,

INTERLOCKING DEVICE Filed July 19, 1956 INVENTOR w. 6.JEN$N. BY 676? 7%178211/ United States Patent ice INTERLOCKING DEVICE William G. Jensen, Dearborn, Mich., assignor to Ford Motor Company, Dearhorn, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application July 19, 1956, Serial No. 598,871

9 Claims. 01. 74-483) This invention relates generally to interlocking switches which provideseveral switch positions and means to insure thatnot more than one switch at a time is engaged. In this invention means are provided for automatically disengaging any engaged switch upon the engagement of a desired switch.

Such a switch arrangement has many uses in both the electrical and mechanical fields, but the embodiment described below is designed specifically for a motor vehicle transmission push button selector. It is desirable in such a selector to provide a compact, simple and inexpensive unit for insuring that the transmission will be in only one position at a time without the operator using a separate motion for disengaging the previously engaged switch.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent as the descriptionof a preferred embodiment is presented in conjunction with the following drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of this invention Without a decorative cover;

Figure 2 is a section taken at 2-2 of Figure 1 showing a plunger and roller pin assembly in an engaged position and dashed lines to show the disengaged position;

Figure 3 shows'a roller pin guide plate fastened to the basepla'te with the upper portion of the guide plate cut away so that a portion of a base plate is visible;

Figure 4 is an enlarged elevational view of the roller pin assembly which is adapted to slide in the grooves and tracks of respectively the base and guide plate; and

Figures 5 through 7 are plan views of the cammed toothed position plates shown in relation to the cross sections of the pins in the roller pin assembly.

Looking at Figure 1 is seen frame 21 having six circumferentially spaced plungers 22 which, when depressed, cause the motor vehicle transmission to assume a particular corresponding position. The six plungers 22 may correspond to the transmission positions of neutral, reverse, park, low, drive, and dual range. Also shown in Figure l is a disc light 23 and its cover 24 which is fastened to frame plate 21. In Figure 2is shown a cross section having a plunger, which is representative of all sixfplungers,in a depressed position. Plunger cap. or button 25houses a plastic prism 27 which'is attached to plunger arm28. Detent' 29 is formed intermediate of arm 28 and is in contact with roller 31 which is pivoted to roller pin assembly 32. Pin 33, which also is a part of assembly 32, is shown in an inwardly position relative position plates 36, 37 and 38 which is also shown in Figures 5 through 7. Assembly 32 rides in radial groove 47 of base plate 40, as is best seen in Figure 3. Interposed base plate 40 and lowest position plate 38 is guide plate 39 which provides radial guidance for pins 33, as may also be seen in Figure 3. Contact 41 is normally spring urged out of engagement with its mate 42, but as shown in Figure 2, has been engaged by the depressed position of plunger arm 28. Contacts 41, 42 form a part of an electrical circuit, but of course this inbe in an inner position at the sametime.

Patented Oct. 14, 1958 vention will work as well with a mechanical circuit. Position spring 43 is a finger type spring which is cantilevered to the under side of frame plate 21 and is shown acting on the rightward slope of detent 29 urging plunger arm 28 into a depressed position. When plunger arm 28 is in a raised position, as indicated by the dashed lines, spring 43 is seen to act on the leftward slope of detent 29, urging it to remain in a raised position. It is to be noted that there are six plungers, each of which has a roller pin assembly which is movable in its own radial groove, and each plunger cooperates with a set of contacts, such as 41 and 42, and there is a position spring, such as spring 43, acting upon either one side or the other each detent 29.

Looking at Figure 3 is seen base plate 40 which has six radial grooves therein, each of which guides and supports a roller pin assembly such as is shown in Figure 4.

Guide plate 39 is shown superimposed base plate 40, and

it may be seen that tracks 46 provide guidance for the upper part of assembly 32, grooves 47 provide guidance for base of assembly 32. Each groove 47 has a depressed clearance 48 for lower projection 49 of assembly 32.

Figures 5 through 7 show respectively position plates 36, 37 and 38. The six cross sections placed about each of these plates represent six pins with five being in outer positions corresponding to raised plunger arms, while the sixth and uppermost pin is in an inner position corresponding to a depressed plunger arm. Plates 36, 37, 38 are superimposed as shown in- Figure 2 and are rotatable about axis 51 although they are shown separately in the drawings. tion of this embodiment, it will be seen that upon any plunger or button depression, and hence inwardly moveinner position, regardless of which one itmay be, will be moved outwardly and the depressed pin will move inwardly. It will also be seen that no two pins can be moved inwardly at the same time, nor can any two pins While this embodiment shows the six selector stations and three position plates, this, of course, can be varied for the particular and desired use.

The operation of this embodiment is as follows. The drawings show the uppermost selector button or plunger depressed. In Figure 2 is shown in dashed lines the raised position of plunger arm 28. The corresponding position of roller and pin assembly 32 would be outward or raised as viewed in Figure 2. It may be seen that as arm 28 is depressed the left side of detent 29 imparts downward or radial movement to assembly 32 by contacting roller 31. In its mostdepressed position the end of arm 28 forces'contact. 41-into engagement with contact 42 for completing an electrical circuit to move a transmission selector, not shown, to a particular position. This in-- vention, of course; could be adapted for. a mechanical linkage to change the position of the transmission or,

other devices with which it is associated. Due to the fact that pin 33 and roller 31 ride in radial grooves 47 and radial track 46, the urging of detent 29 against assembly 32 will cause assembly 32 to move in a radial path regardless of any lateral resistance from the cammed sur- From a following description of the operaately clockwise from the inwardly located pin shown in Figures 5 through 7 is moved inwardly, plate 36 will move clockwise urging the inwardly positioned pin outwardly, plate 37 will be rotated counterclockwise also urging said pin outwardly, while plate 38 will not be moved. In this manner, the depressing of any button will cause the depressed button to rise. It should be noted that only one cammed surface is necessary to act against a depressed pin in order to raise it. Dimples 52 are formed in plates 36, 37, 38 to reduce contact therebetween to point contacts. The dimples are so placed so that throughout the reciprocatory motion of the plates they will not register and lock.

Looking again at Figure 2 is seen position spring 43 which acts as before mentioned on successively the left and right slopes of detent 29 as the plunger is depressed. This insures full depression once the plunger has started its inward movement by causing an initially larger resistance which, when overcome, will carry the plunger to its fully depressed position especially since spring 43 tends to push plunger to an inward position after detent 29 passes over the highest portion of the spring.

It also may be seen that all the plunger buttons are illuminated by light 23 through prisms 27 and that the depressed button is lighted more brightly by reason of its closer position to a more exposed portion of the light.

It will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the exact construction shown and described, but that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a multiple selector interlock, that improvement comprising a base plate having radial grooves therein, a guide plate having radial tracks therein corresponding to and superimposed said grooves, roller assemblies having rollers and pins slidably mounted in said grooves with said pins being guided by said grooves and tracks, a plunger being engageable with each of said rollers, said plungers being mounted for axial movement and having a transversely bent portion for translating axial movement of said plunger to radial movement of said roller assemblies, a finger. spring cooperating With said bent portion to initially retard its forward axial movement by applying pressure against the forward side of said bent portion and later aid its forward movement by pressure against the rearward side of said bent portion, three position plates rotatably mounted and axially superimposed said guide plate, each of said position plates having cam portions cooperating with said pins so that with an inward radial movement of any one pin, all other inwardly placed pins will be urged outwardly.

2. In a multiple interlocking selector, that improvement comprising a multiplicity of superimposed plates which are separately rotatably mounted about an axis, a series of radially movable pins placed angularly about said axis, each of said plates having a series of sloped cam surfaces cooperating with said pins so that an inward radial movement of any one of said pins will cause any other inwardly placed pins to be urged outwardly.

3. A push button interlock comprising, toothed plates concentrically mounted and axially spaced, said plates having a cammed surface for each push button, each push button cooperating with a surface contacting memher so that, upon depressing a button, a corresponding member will be directed radially inwardly against at least one cam surface causing rotative motion of at least one of said plates, thereby displacing outwardly by means of a cam contact an inwardly positioned member, said cam surfaces being arranged so that only one member at a time may be depressed.

4. An interlocking multiple selector comprising a series of axially depressible selector plungers, a transversely movable pin associated with each plunger, means to translate axial plunger movement into transverse pin movement, superimposed movable plates having inclined portions, said pins in cooperative relationship to said portions and elfective to move at least one of said plates upon depression of its associated plunger, said plate upon such movement effective to return any previously depressed plunger through the action of an inclined portion on a pm.

5. In a selector device, cam members independently rotatable on a common axis, a plurality of cam followers placed about said axis and radially movable therewith, said members presenting cam surfaces to each of said followers, said surfaces arranged so that only one follower may be moved radially toward said axis at one time.

6. In a selector device, three cam members stacked to independently rotate on a common axis, a plurality of cam followers placed about said axis and radially movable therewith, said members presenting to each of said followers three cooperative cam surfaces, said surfaces arranged so that only one follower may be moved radially toward said axis at one time.

7. The selector of claim 6 wherein said plates are rotatably mounted and axially aligned, and said inclined portions define a series of inwardly-sloped cam surfaces.

8. An interlocking multiple selector comprising a plurality of stacked toothed plates rotatable on a common axis, a plurality of radially movable pins angularly spaced about said axis, said teeth in cooperative relationship with said pins whereby inward movement of any one pin toward the roots of said teeth causes outward movement of any pin previously so moved.

9. In a position selector, a base, said base defining a plurality of radial grooves, carriages slidably received in said grooves, each of said carriages carrying a pin mounted upright to said carriage, a plurality of plates independently rotatably and coaxially mounted on said base, said plates having teeth in cooperative relationship to said pins whereby only one carriage is movable inwardly at one time.

Singer Sept. 11, 1917 Andrews Dec. 2, 1947 Forstrom May 29, 1956 

